What causes "foaming at the mouth?"

And what is it?

 

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I'm not completely sure, but I'd *assume* that it's bacteria culminating in the saliva.

Again, I'm assuming. I'm not really a doctor...however,
I'm sure in a few minutes somebody who is will reply.

Patience.

-Elbaz

 

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Excessive gargling of one's own saliva?

_blusoul% <--Warning: not a doctor either! (I seem to be saying this a lot these days, lol)

 

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you been playing doc and nurses blue?

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lol, nah

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I just like to prescribe.

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I've heard that rabid animals foam at the mouth.

 

Yeah, yeah, I knew that too, but what is "foaming at the mouth?" Anyone got some sources since there are two theories here- rapid gargling of saliva and bacteria growth. Which one and why? Any other theories? That does it. I'm typing "foaming at the mouth" into yahoo and seeing what I get. I'll be back with my findings soon.

 

Damn, it didn't work. Maybe I'll look while i'm in class and don't have anything better to do.

 

Foaming at the mouth caused by rabies - involuntary jaw movements turn excessive drool into foam.

 

What converts the saliva into foam? Explain the process, please.

 

I'm sorry, I don't really know much about the mechanism behind it. As far as rabies goes, I guess the central nervous system is infected with the virus and that, in turn, leads to the throat paralysis. When the throat gets paralysed, the animal is unable to swallow, hence excessive saliva and drooling. What turns this into foam I really couldn't tell. If you happen to find more info, please post it here as you got me intrigued.

 

i'd say its caused by a sort of 'foaming' around the mouth area notpresidentandrew .

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Sorry, couldnt resist it

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Rabies causes encephalitis, which is a CNS disease. The viral infection can spread outwards to other tissues, including the salivary glands, which begin producing large amounts of saliva. The animal's breathing, coupled with muscle spasms in the jaw and tongue mix and aerate the saliva, causing the foam.

A similar example of how a fluid is aerated, is white water in a river. The foam is just bubbles as air mixes in and then escapes.

 

simple: oxygenation causes the "bubbles" in saliva. now...will the originator of the thread return to the sciforum immediately.

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I think that notPresidentAndrew guy got banned...

 

interesting word you've created.

 

Why?

 

i would have to look that up but, it was for being a mence anyway

 

On RadioactiveWaves:

:bugeye: eh...what's so interesting about it......btw...i didn't "create" it...

 

uhhh... sorry.


I pulled an all nighter, and my brain was kinda lost.

I wasn't thinking well, didn't even read you're post right. I was thinking you meant "oxidation".

please excuse my lapse of judgment.